Celebrating the Epiphany - Sick or Not!

"Kings" Nina an Jack bring babydoll "Jesus" gifts during their annual Epiphany dramatic play.

Celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany has become a tradition in our home, celebrated on the 6th, which is when my mom always recognized the day growing up.  Being sick on the Epiphany, thankfully, has not.  Although it seems like it may be a reality for us for this year.

Yes, two of our three children got hit with a belly bug yesterday and, so, Mike went to Epiphany Mass on his own yesterday and I did, today.  It appears there will still be sickness in the house tomorrow, when we plan to celebrate at home.  However, having kids who are under the weather won't stop the day from coming.

Nope!  And, thus, with photo inspiration from last year's Epiphany, I have us set to enjoy as many (or as few) Epiphany activities as health allows tomorrow.

An Epiphany Breakfast Tea

Hopefully, it will be all smiles at tea again this year!

Those still under the weather will be treated to "star juice", "star pops" and "Wise Men Tea".  That is, yellow popsicles, orange juice and herbed bone broth (instead of tea).  The rest of us will feast on a simple-to-fix GFCF Epiphany "tea" like last year's

I wish I could find these GFCF gingermen cookies again this year.

There will be two types of "Wise Men Tea" (herbed bone broth and ginger-lemon tea), "Star Juice"  (orange juice), "Starry Skies" (blueberries with pineapple and - coconut shreds by request this year - stars) and "Jesus' Stable/House" (cinnamon donuts).

Our children love these GFCF cinnamon donuts as a special treat!

Plus, of course, we'll have Chocolate Almond Silk (for no reason other than that our children love it and request it every feast day.)

An inexpensive musical snow globe brings pleasant,calming auditory input to the table.

The table will be set with our Nativity Snow Globe and a yellow candle (as the star the Wise Men Follow and our Nativity Set King figures (who will later make their way to join the rest of the Nativity scene) and our favorite Epiphany read aloud, The Story of the Three Wise Kings.
A Read Aloud.

If the kids up up to it, we may do a few of the book study ideas I came up with for The Fourth Wise Man, republished as The Greatest Gift,or the curriculum and  sensory ones I shared at Catholic Mother's Online for Small Camel Follows the Star.

Chill Time Activities

Since some of the kids are sick, we'll most likely stick with chill-time activities, such as cuddling for lots of read alouds with whichever favorite seasonal read alouds come in at the library....

... making paper crowns...

Every year, the crowns change a bit, but for some reason, the children always ask for orange paper.

...and playing with homemade starry glitter dough.

We just add yellow coloring and glitter to our homemade playdough and - viola - glittering stars!

If the Kids Are Up for It...

Depending on how the kids are feeling, we might enjoy some of our more active traditions, too.

"We three kings..."

The kids can process down the hall singing while following star and, then, put the kings in our Nativity set scene.

"We've come to honor the baby king."

And, we'll do the chalk blessing and home blessing, with the kids writing on each door of the house.

Nina always loves doing the Home Blessing!

Plus, of course, sick or not, we'll PRAY, at Mass, at home or both.

What is sweeter than a little one blessing himself?

Perhaps the oldest child asking to bless Daddy?

And, finally, we'll admire the Christmas tree before we say good-bye to it after the 6th.

Decorating the tree on Christmas Eve this year.  Up on Christmas Eve and down after Epiphany is our family tradition.

What are some of your favorite Epiphany Traditions?

 

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